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6.12.2013

Local super hero plants rice and scatters popularity on the Internet

"What?! Rice-transplanting machine is stuck in mud? Wait, and I go to help you immediately!"---The local super hero of Akita Prefecture, plants rice and scatters popularity on the Internet in Japan.

His name is Chōjin Neiger(超神ネイガー: Super-God Neiger). He is a local super hero made by Tamotsu Ebina of an entrepreneur living in Nikaho city, Akita Prefecture. Ebina made Chōjin Neiger as a motif in tokusatsu heros such as Kamen Rider. However, his big characteristic is to be specialized in "local". The motifs of his design, finisher, and weapons are local specialty and the place name of Akita. His image source is Namahage of traditional folklore of Akita. And he always talks in a dialect of Akita(his Twitter is no exception, too).
It is the same in the business side. His show is held only in Akita, goods are sold only in Akita and TV CM where he appears is broadcasted only in Akita. Well, His fans must go to Akita to meet him. Ebina continued this business for 8 years, and it became the topic in all over the Japan as well as Akita. The local hero like him exists now in the all over Japan.

The character setting of Chōjin Neiger is that...
He is a young man of the farmer of Nikaho City, Akita. As for his family, ancestors are farmers from generation to generation, and he lives with a grandmother now. His favorite foods are rice and candied fig. Even if they are enemy, he does not attack women by the education of his grandmother.
He said in Twitter, "My name is Chōjin Neiger. I am the Guardian keeping peace of Akita. I am sorry, but am too busy now. The reason, as you see. But let's rush if there is a crying kids. I love your smile. See you." To see this photo, Japanese netizens understood the meaning. The rice-transplanting is a serious event for farmers.

He post continues doing a photos of the farming in Twitter. They are very funny! That a super hero works on a farm! :D It was shared in an instant in Japanese Internet world. Particularly, his photos were retweeted more than 4,000 times in Twitter. It was an opportunity to appeal to many people for agriculture. At last, the many newspapers reported his farming.

He has many suggestions about local business. Now, Japanese economy is the worst now. Furthermore, Japanese local economy is the worst. In Akita, the decline advances fastest in Japan. The sick people continue increasing, children are not born, the economy is lowest, the lands goes to ruin, and the people commit suicide. Can you imagine the living of farmers under such situation? It is the really WORST. However, the entrepreneur appears under such situation and can bring about interesting business and contents. And the social media can distribute them among Japan. We can study from him.

Please check his Twitter if you are interested in him. There are more photos there. You may not understand his posts, but most Japanese are the same as you, too. Because he talks in a dialect of Akita even in Twitter.